Folding carriage



(No Model.) 3 Sheets 'Sheet 1'.

J. F. FLAD. FOLDING CARRIAGE.

No. 401,939. Patente dApr'. 23, 1889.,

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Shet 2.

- J.-F.'FLAD.-

FOLDING GARRIAGE.

No; 401,939. Patented Apr. 23, 1889.

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H UNITED: STATES PATENT O FICE.

JOHN F. FLAD, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

FOLDING CARR IAG E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 401,939, dated April23, 1889.

Application filed February 7, 1889; Serial No. 298,979. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1,-JOHn FREDERICK FLAD, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania,have invented a new and use-.

ful Improvement in Folding Carriages, which improvement is fully setforth in the fol1owing specification and accompanying drawings.

My invention consists of a folding carriage,

more particularly those designed for children, the same embodying afolding body and axle, removable parts, and other features, as will behereinafter fully set forth, and definitely pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 represents a partial side elevation and partial. verticalsection of a folding carriage embodying my invention. Fig. 2 representsan end view thereof. Figs. 3 and 4 represent side elevations, at a rightangle to each other, of the carriage in folded condition, and on anenlarged scale. Fig. 5 represents a side view of the body of thecarriage and immediately-connected parts partially folded. Fig. 6represents the manner of connecting the springs with the body. Fig. 7represents the catch for holding an arm on the folding axle.

Similar letters and nnmerals'of reference indicate corresponding partsin the several figures.

Referring to the drawings, A designates the body of a childs carriage,the same having flexible sides and being formed in sec- 3 5 tions A Ahinged together at or about the center of the body, as will beseen inFig. 1, whereby the sections may be folded one on the other, as is mostplainly seen in Figs. 3 and 4. q

40 B designates the axles, the same being connected with springs orspring-frames 1, the latter having their upper ends bent inwardlyforming journals 2, which are mounted on the under side of the body A,whereby said axles may be said to be pivoted to said body. Rising fromthe springs are arms 3, whose upper ends are formed with loops or eyes4, which latter are fitted on rods 5, so as to slide thereon, said rodsextending along the sides of the sections of the body A. In

order to lock the arms 3, there are secured to either of the sections ofthe body a springcatch, 6, which engages with the adjacent arm 3, bywhich means the body isprevented from being folded and the axles fromshifting from their proper positions. On the under side of the body arehooks 7 and 8, for supporting the wheels and handle of the carriage whenthe parts of the latter are folded, as will be hereinafter againreferred to.

G designates the handle of the carriage, the same being removably fitted'to sockets 9, and held by a spring-catch, 10, said sockets and catchbeing connected with the bodyat the rear thereof.

'On the axles are spring-catches 11,which engage with necks 12 on thehubs of the Wheels of the carriage, for holding the latteron said axleswithout the use of linchpins, nuts, &c.

, The operation is as follows: When the parts are in'position, (shown inFigs. 1 and 2,) said parts are prevented from folding and the carriagemay be used as usual. WVhen, however, the carriage is to be folded, thecatches 11 are raised and the wheels removed from the axles, the handleC being also removed. The arms 3, which carry the springs and axles, arenow turned toward, each other, as will be seen in Fig. 5, the inner endsof the rods or guides 5 being bent, constituting stops 13, whereby thearms 3 are prevented disengaging from said rods. The sections of thebody are then folded on each other, when the axles lie snugly againstthe bottom of the sections of the body, and the top of the body closeson the bottom thereof, owing to the flexible nature of the sides of saidbody. A strap, 14, may now be connected with buttons 15 on r the axles,whereby the sections of the body 9 are prevented from separating. Theposition I of the parts thus far described is illustrated in Fig. 4. Thehandle 0 is now placed on the bottom of the section having the hooks 7and 8, and the upper cross-piece orround of said handle is fitted on thehooks 7.

The wheels are hung in twos on the hooks 7 of the sections of the body,those on the section which carries the hook 8 bearing against thelowerportion of the handle, thus holding I00 the latter firmly in place.As the handle is connected with the hooks 7, and the other parts are inposition shown in Figs. 3 and 4, a compact bundle of the members of thecarriage is produced, and the same may be conveniently carried by thehandle 0.

It is evident that the wheels and handle maybe removed, the strap 1-1unbuttoned, and the body unfolded. The arms 3 are then turned outwardlyuntil they assume upright positions, and the. axles properly located toreceive the wheels. The catch 6 is engaged with one of the arms, wherebythe shifting of the latter is prevented, the folding of the sectionsbeing thereby also prevented. The wheels are applied and secured by thecatch 11, and the handle is located and engaged by the catch 10. Thecarriage is now in operative condition, and may be used as designed.

\Vhen the arms 3 assume their upright position, they hold the sides ofthe body properly distended and prevent the top of said body fromdropping or folding on the bottom, as will be seen in Fig. 1.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A folding body having axles which are pivoted to said body, andprovided with arms which are fitted on rods or guides attached to thebody, substantially as described.

2. In a folding carriage, the arms 3, connected with the pivoted axle,the guides 5, attached to the body, said arms adapted to slide 011 saidguides, and the catch 6, engaging with either of said arms, the partsbeing combined and operating substantially as described.

In a folding carriage, the sockets 9 and catch 10 connected with thebody thereof, in combination with the handle of the carriage fitted tosaid sockets and engaged by said catch, substantially as described.

4. In a folding carriage, the springs thereof formed with journals whichare mounted on the body thereof, and provided with arms which areconnected with rods or guides connected wit-h said body, substantiallyas described.

5. Afolding carriagehavingafolding body, a handle and wheels removablyconnected with said body, folding axles pivoted to said body, armsattached to the axle and engaging with the body, and hooks secured tothe body for hanging the wheels and handle thereon, said parts beingcombined substantially as described.

o. In a folding carriage, a sectional hinged body in combinationwithaspring-frame havingits upper ends bent and forming journals havingbearings in the sections of said body, substantially as described.

7. In a folding carriage, a sectional hinged body in combination with aspring-frame having its upper ends bent and forming journals havingbearings in the sections of said body, and axles pivotally connected tothe said frame, substantially as described.

8. A folding carriage consisting of ahinged sectional body with flexiblesides, springframe with upper ends bent inwardly forming journals havingbearings in the under side of the body, arms rising from the springframeand having loops at their upper ends, and rods secured to the sides ofthe sections of the body and having looped ends forming stops, saidparts being combined substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

JOHN F. FLAD.

\Vitnesses:

JOHN A. WIEDERsHEIM, A. I. JENNINGS.

